Lights, camera, begin the show!
by the daily whatever
Summary: What if the Hunger Games was a talent show? Katniss and Peeta have to compete by singing and performing with 22 other tributes. What was Haymich like, how will they handle the cameras and popularity? And Their on camea romance? Read and find out about it, go on give me a chance, R&R please and thank you's.
1. Chapter 1: Time to go

The Hunger Games,

Every year those were the words that everyone spoke of. Will they get in? What will it be like? Is like everyone says it is? Who knows? Only the victors do of course.

Well this year was no different. The 74th annual Huger Games was being celebrated and everyone from every district was buzzing about the upcoming event.

Katniss wasn't that in to it. Yes she watched every year and wondered who would win like any other person would watch the show.

She just wasn't very in to listening to the same thing she had heard for the seventieth year of her life.

She remembered watching it for the first time when she was five, that was her earliest memory of watching the Games. From there on out she was preparing for the Games doing everything she could to prepare.

It wasn't fair for young children to go in, they weren't ready and it didn't matter how much training they got, it didn't matter. They were too young, too inexperienced.

But this year was no different, same old same old.

"Katniss are you ready for the Hunger Games?" Madge asked her smiling. They were sitting on the porch of Madges house.

"No, well yeah, but it's not like I'm gonna get called up or anything."

"Well you never know."

"I do know cuz you need to be signed up," Katniss said standing up and walking lightly loosely around the porch, "And as I recall, this year I didn't sign up."

"No, you didn't sign up this year," Madge said, "But I signed you up."

Katniss stung round to Madge with horror in her eyes, but worst of all she was angry.

"You do what?" Katniss yelled at her.

"Calm down Katniss."

"Calm down. Calm down? Are you crazy? How am I supposed to calm down?"

"You'll be fine, like you say every year 'I'll never be in'." Madge said in a bad impersonation of Katniss.

"Okay, one, I don't sound anything like that. And two, you're dead."

Madge just laughed as she watched Katniss walk away angrily back home to get ready.

The next day everyone was getting ready to be signed in and possibly be called in for the Games.

"Katniss," Came a small voice from behind her, it was her little sister Prim.

"Oh look at you, you look so pretty." Katniss said coming over to her and tucking in the back of her shirt that always stuck out.

"I wish I looked like you," Prim winded tugging on Katniss' blue dress that their mother had picked out for her. Katniss despised it but Prim like it.

Prim hugged her tightly and Katniss hugged back confused.

"Hey what's wrong?" Katniss asked.

"I don't want to go in there. I've heard terrible rumours and everyone in my class is saying that it's my year."

"Hey, it's not your year. They're just being mean, trying to scare you like that."

"How do you know?" Prim said looking up at her and Katniss looked back down to her.

"I just know," She said smiling on the outside, but inside she wasn't so sure.

They walked over to the check in centre and stood and watched as an extravagant woman walked on stage in a large wig and heavy makeup and bold clothed begun her usual speech.

The speech dragged on and no one ever listened to it unless it was their first year. Everyone listened to the bit where she pulled out the names for who was picked to into the Games.

"As usual, ladies first," The woman said and her hand circled the bowl until she picked at random a piece of paper with a name on.

"Prim Rose Everdeen," She said smiling and everyone made way for Prim. Katniss was shocked, 'How did everyone know?' Katniss thought.

As Prim passed her she said quietly, "You said you I wouldn't be picked, help."

Prim kept walking on and Katniss starting calling back for her. Everyone knew what happened in the Games, behind the scenes. Maybe they were just rumours but Katniss didn't want her sister to be a part of it.

Next thing she knew she had volunteered, she was on stage, she was next to Peeta Malark, she was saying goodbye to her mother, sister and friends.

And that was it, she was in a car on her way to get on a train to go to the Capitol.

"Are you excited?" Effie asked sitting next to her. Effie had introduced herself when they got into the car.

Peeta said nothing so neither did Katniss.

"Come on you guys must be excitied for the Games."

"It's not really a game, more like a competition." Peeta said and I nodded.

"But aren't you excitied to see the Capitol for the first time and get trained by ex tributes?"

"No, I don't even want to be in this car." Katniss said and it was Peeta's turn to nod.

"Listen we wouldn't have chosen you if we didn't think you two were good from your auditions." Effie said trying to defend herself.

"I volunteered at the last minute," I say louder than I should, "What does that make me?"

"Well, it kind of makes you an intruder. But, luckily, your audition was great so you'll be fine in training. If you'd volunteered and you had a terrible audition, well, we'd have our work cut out for us wouldn't we?"

Katniss just glared at her, and Effie held her stare back but eventually turned away.

"Well, do any of you have any questions?"

"Yeah, I do." Katniss said.

"Oh course you do."

Katniss just glared some more, "Are the rumours true?"

"Excuse me?"

"Are the rumours true?" Peeta asked and Katniss looked at him and he looked back. She looked away first blushing and Effie must have caught on because she smiled smugly at Katniss. And yes, Katniss glared at her.

"What rumours do you mean?" Effie said playing dumb.

"Oh you know," Katniss said, "The rape, diet, relationships, lies, fake, plastic surgery rumours on tributes."

Effie was quiet for a while which was enough for them to know they were true.

"Yes, they are. But you should know that I am very good at protecting my kids in the show."

"Your kids?" Katniss questioned, "I'm not your kid, and you're not my mother."

Effie looked hurt and didn't look at Katniss but turned to her and said, "Listen you, you can either mess around and be mad at everyone and push everyone away but that's no good because you'll be lonely until you leave this competition."

"This is a singing competition, not a freeking war." Katniss said.

"You'd be surprised." Effie said and turned away from her.

They said nothing for the rest of the ride until they got onto the train, now all they had to do was meet the other tributes and mentors.

TBC…

Okay I really hope you like because I've had this idea in mind for, like, AGES now and it's finally off my shoulders. But I have so many other ideas for chapters. I'm so excited! Hope you like and please R&R, thank you's. Writing soon.


	2. Chapter 2: Trains

On the train Katniss and Peeta said nothing to one another. They were too busy thinking of what will happen in the Capitol.

"Um, we don't really know each other. I'm Peeta." Peeta said looking at her; she turned her head lightly to him.

"I'm Katniss, hi." She said with a weak voice and an equally weak wave to him. He didn't seem to care, he just laughed lightly.

They would've talked more but one of the doors opened on the train revealing a medium height man with thin dirty blonde hair, which was just above his shoulders, with a scotch glass which he was limply holding from the rim in and glaring at the brown, red liquid inside it rocking as he walked towards them.

The two teenagers said nothing but stared at the mad, somewhat scared of what he'll do next, curious even to what he'd do. But he just walked over to the silver cart which had tall jugs containing different verities of alcohol in each.

He poured himself a drink and walked over to the two in the seats staring at his every move and sat before them, smiling drunk and dumbly at them.

"Well, well, well. The new tributes are here, you're both… young. That's good, sponsors like the youngsters."

"Sponsors what are?" Katniss asks.

"Yes, sponsors. Those are the people who will be saving your asses." He said dryly and mumbling into his glass.

"I'm sorry but, who are you?" Katniss asked with a confused look on her face.

"Oh, I didn't introduce myself?" He said sitting up more but slouching in his chair.

"No," Peeta said.

"Ah, yes, my name is Haymich. And while you're here in the Games, I'll be your mentor." He said looking down.

"So you've won this before?" Peeta asked.

"Obviously, they wouldn't give you someone to train with if they didn't know what they were doing. They're not that cruel."

"They, who's they?" Katniss asked.

"The people who made, control, and have the Games, that who they are."

"Oh." Katniss said, "Why do we have to be here?" She said putting her head in her hands.

"Why are you here then?" Haymich asked annoyed.

"I volunteered for my little sister."

"You know the rules," Haymich asked.

"Yes I know the rules. If you're above the age of nine you have to audition for the Games, but when you're sixteen it's optional."

"Well, you're brave. You didn't even sign up but you went in anyway." Peeta said.

"Not quite." She said back.

"What do you mean? You signed up?"

"No, my friend did. So everyone in the Capitol has seen my audition and thinks I want to be here. Why?" Katniss groaned.

"Let me guess, it was Madge who did it to you right?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"I know you and Madge are friends, well Madge is friends with everyone, and when you said a friend signed you up I guessed Madge. I know how she is."

"Oh," Katniss laughed but with her head down and Peeta laughed lightly too.

'Do they like each other?' Haymich thought questionably.

"But you signed up; you obviously want to be here." Katniss said to Peeta.

"Not quite. My brothers signed me up, they videoed me when I was singing alone and sent it off and now I'm here."

"Oh, they seem nice, trustworthy." Katniss said smiling and Peeta laughed.

Effie came in then and there and began to talk about what they were going to have to do tomorrow when they get off the train, no one was really listening.

"Okay so does everyone understand what's going to happen when we get there?" Effie asked and Katniss and Peeta nodded.

"Good so you'll be getting your makeovers for the interviews and-"

"What?" Katniss yelled out.

"You weren't listening were you?" Effie asked, "You have no manners do you?"

Katniss just glared at her and went off to her room which took a while because she couldn't find the right one until Haymich pointed it out to her.

Once in she got a change of clothes for bed and lied in bed. She hated to admit it but it was the best night's sleep she'd ever had.

She was to nervous to what will happen tomorrow.

TBC…

Hope that made everything more clearly, I didn't really think the last chapter through did but hope you get it better now. Thank God to reviews for making that clear. Looking forward to writing about the performances. R&R please and thank you's, writing soon. 


	3. Chapter 3: Space between us

When Katniss and Peeta got to the Capitol they didn't know what to expect, but it was pretty much what they had in mind.

It was over the top, different, expensive, glamorous, weird; those kind of things. Katniss didn't know why Peeta said it was incredible. She kind of understood why he said it but then again, she didn't. All she saw was a trap and she was caught right in the middle of it.

They got off the train and travelled to their new 'home', that's what Effie called it anyway. It was not a home and everyone knew it. Katniss didn't mean to be mean to Effie but she just felt like Effie was trying to be another mother or something. Maybe she was just that nice, but Katniss never like girly, confident women. Or men for that matter.

When they made it to their new 'home' and it was the most, well there wasn't just on word to use for it. But different and expensive was a good start.

There was expensive furniture everywhere and there were strange people in the corners in red and look awfully depressed.

"Okay, since it's late you two should probably go off to bed." Haymich said and Katniss and Peeta blushed like mad.

"Not together," Haymich said and Effie held back a smile.

"Oh right, yeah." Peeta said scurrying off and Katniss followed.

Haymich just laughed and Effie smiled lightly.

"I like those two, though the girl has no manners but the boy is nice."

"Yeah, but their names aren't 'girl' and 'boy' sweetheart, its Katniss and Peeta."

"What did you call me?"

"It's something I call everyone, sweetheart. Now come on to bed."

"Excuse me?!" Effie shrieked in horror.

"What? No I didn't mean you and I, together-" Haymich was cut off by Effie slapping him round the face and storming off.

"Okay, well I had that coming." Haymich said walking off to _his_ room and falling asleep. But it wasn't like Katniss wasn't still awake, or Peeta for that matter.

She walked out of her room and into the main room where she was earlier that day. She wasn't expecting to see anyone there but she saw someone.

Standing there in front of the window staring at the busy city under it, it was Peeta. He was standing there looking out the window staring at the scenery dreamily, obviously no paying attention.

"Hey," Katniss says making Peeta jump from concentration.

"Hey, you scared me."

"Obviously," Katniss says laughing.

"What are you doing up?" He asks.

"Same as you I guess."

"Yeah… The Hunger Games." He says with a sarcastic voice.

"Yeah, not looking forward to it, you've seen what it's done to Haymich. The fame got too much and people pushed him into doing stuff he didn't want to do. And now he's an alcoholic, I don't want to end up like that. Not that he's a bad guy or anything but…"

"No I get it, I know what you mean. We'll be here for a long time; we just have to only listen to our mentors."

"Yeah, wait, won't you listen to me or I to you?" Katniss asked looking straight at him. He was now sitting down, leaning up against the table behind him so the window was in front of them. She came over to him to sit but never let go of his stare.

"I'll listen to you then, but how do I know I can trust you?" He said raising an eyebrow.

"And I you?"

"You say that a lot," He said laughing and Katniss laughed too, she was now sitting next to him with her knees to her chest but they weren't tight on her chest, her knees are up limply.

"What do you want to know to trust me?" Peeta asked.

That got Katniss going. They asked questions for ages about one another's families and friends. They didn't get to personal with things, just the basics.

Even though it was a simple conversation, Katniss never talked like this with someone. Yes, Gale and Madge knew stuff about her but not all of this. Not what she felt about things, but why was she so comfortable around Peeta. Comfortable to tell him all this and they had only seen each other once.

"Do you trust me know?" Peeta asked leaning his head a little forward.

"Yeah," Katniss said blushing.

"… How much?" He asked again, still leaning.

"Too much," And that was the last thing they said to each other because they closed the distance between them.

TBC…

Okay, I know it was a rushed first kiss. But I have a twist for it and no, she doesn't get pregnant from it. LOL, but I do know what I'm doing people. And I just love the Effie and Haymich relationship, hope I got the comedy threw. Well hope you like, R&R please and hank you's and I'll be writing soon!


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